Community school of development for indigenous youth Amigos del Origen

Explain your project idea (2,000 characters)

There are about 370 million indigenous people around the world, unfortunately they are still the most numerous among the poor, the illiterate and the unemployed. They also represents one third of the 900 million indigent people. Colombia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse countries. The indigenous population is young (70 per cent are under 25 years of age). Located deep in La Guajira desert, in the Venezuela and Colombia border live The Wayuu people. They have over a thousand-year-old cultural legacy that are recognized as Intangible human heritage by UNESCO. La Guajira is the indigenous region of Colombia, unfortunately this is also the region with highest rates of illiteracy, poverty and school dropouts.

Students used to drop out schools because they had to walk for hours to find a touristic place to sell their arts. Our system eliminates all the barriers. We offer education free of charge, easily accessible and focusing on their sustainable development.

This project provides holistic education in community schools and communities without access to education for more than 1000 indigenous children and youth from 5 to 25 years of age in illiteracy and extreme poverty every year.Our students create eco-artistic collaborative projects with cultural and natural resources, reinforcing the knowledge acquired in our schools and developing entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Those artworks are offered in national and international exhibitions and through our web platform that we are designing with indigenous youth and experts based on open source technologies that allows young people without prior technological knowledge to use it easily from rural schools, and allows them to create profiles as entrepreneurs, produce, promote and access to global market. Creating young entrepreneurs, in literacy, social inclusion and contribute to our communities sustainable development without being forced to leave their traditional way of life and schools.

Who are the beneficiaries? (1,000 characters)

This program will be executed with 4 indigenous communities with the highest level of schools dropouts, poverty and illiteracy in La Guajira – Colombia for (1000) children and young people in the ages of 5 to 25 years old.Our programs are self sustainable, replicable and scalable and we plan to replicate in other indigenous communities across Latin America and the Caribbean every year. We are currently working with communities in 3 new regions in Colombia and the Otomi indigenous community in Mexico as they have similar conditions and they require our programs. We plan to replicate our programs by 2020.

How is your idea unique? (1,000 characters)

We work in the regions in the highest school dropouts, illiteracy and poverty in the country, with students that had deserted or never accessed to any school, the main reasons why they do not access to education that they identify were:-They had to look for resources to support themselves and their families-They did not have time to go to schools that were also located far away from their communities-They did not feel identified with their system and environment. Our system eliminates all barriers. Our model of self-support allows us to offer education free of charge, easily accessible, friendly with their cultural and natural values, that guarantees their human and economic development and the sustainable development of the communities and attractive for them as they can see the results in short terms. Using new technologies and the arts to make our system more dynamic to create young people with skills and tools for entrepreneurship and leadership from their communities.

Idea Proposal Stage (choose one)

Pilot: I have started to implement the idea as a whole with a first set of real users.

Tell us more about your organization/company (1 sentence and website URL)

The Origin seeks to eliminate financial, social, cultural and academic barriers that young people in ethnic communities have to sustainable development. Our tool, the education.

We are currently working with:More than 300 students now in literacy and working in sustainable development.More than 20 volunteers every year.Website: www.fundacionelorigen.comRCN RADIO. Programas lìderes RCN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwAtDj46toUhttp://origen.logike.co/index.php/art-1/ //ylai.state

Expertise in sector

3-5 years

Organization Filing Status

Yes, we are a registered non-profit.

In 3-4 sentences, tell us the inspiration or story that encouraged you to start this project.

I come from La Guajira - Colombia the region with the most indigenous population and also with the highest levels of poverty, illiteracy and discrimination. I have been committed that this world can be more accessible for everyone even for those who still live in isolation like us. By 2015 I won a scholarship. Now I am Professional in Politics and International Affairs. Our youth are being forced to leave families and schools to sell crafts in cities. I believe there is a better future for us.

Please explain how your selected topic areas are influenced, in the local context of your project (1,000 characters).

PEACE:We reduced the school dropout rate, illiteracy and extreme poverty that impeded the sustainable development of the communities and the country. We are decreasing the armed conflict, youth violence and indigence in the cities.PROSPERITYWe develop an cultural e-market to give our students access to entrepreneurial opportunities and to be in contact with global citizens and higher education opportunities. Our communities can produce, sell and share their old knowledge, crafts and collaborative projects where they can interact from their communities without being forced to leave schools or their traditional way of life.PLANETMost natural and cultural heritages are conserved by indigenous communities around the world and, therefore, pollution directly impacts our lifestyles causes hundreds of deaths and lack of opportunities for self-sustainability. We use arts to increase empowerment of cultural and natural resources and spaces amount youth and world citizens in exhibitions

Who will work alongside your organization in the project idea? (1,000 characters)

Culture direction of the district of Riohacha: Logistic and other resources of the activities in Riohacha.Departmental culture direction: Logistic and other resources of the activities in La Guajira. Indigenous guard of High and Middle Guajira: The indigenous guard represents the legal indigenous guard where the community schools will take place. With their permission we are allowed to work in the indigenous communities and also with the youngest students in their spaces for education.Culture Ministry: Through their concertation the cofinancing our programs.Bogota US Embassy: diffusion on their media.Universidad Sergio Arboleda: media diffusionUniversidad de La Guajira: media diffusion and human resourcesInternational Exchange Alumni US departament of state: diffusion for the project as we are fellows.Yamaha Musical: They provide us arts materials, human resources and training.AMTUR LTDA:Transportation servicesAGUAS LAS GOTAS:Hydration of studentsLa Fontana:Meals

Please share some of the top strengths identified in the community which your project will serve (500 characters)

El Origen' team of experts and tutors have been training youth community leaders to work as tutors for next generations. We have over 20 young indigenous people ready to work. Their strengths are:Horizontal community engagement that ensures the success of the programs. TeamworkCommunication skillsLeadershipFocus on goals and resultsDiversityOrganizationEnthusiasmDisciplineGratitudeHonestyKindnessResponsabilityStrategic thinkingVisionaryAdapting new tecnologies